The 1984 Bhopal disaster
April 30, 2011In 1984 on December 3rd what is seen as one of the worst industrial accidents in history took place in India in Bhopal. What is now known as the Bhopal disaster caused a staggering death toll, huge devastation as well as environmental and health effects which would last long into the future. A huge investigation into health and safety standards in industries based in developing nations such as India was caused by the accident in Bhopal.
The disaster occurred when water was being used to flush out chemical pipes at a union carbide chemical plant on Bhopal. A leak let water into the tank of an unstable gas known as methyl isocyanate which is used in the production of pesticides. A pressure increase within the tank was created by the combination of methyl isocyanate and water. To stop the tank from exploding it had to be vented however this released gases which were extremely harmful into Bhopal.
It is believed that along with the large quantity of methyl isocyanate which was released, there were other gasses such as cyanide too. The workers in the plant were killed quickly however as the gas spread through Bhopal other people inhaled the gas which causing damage to their respiratory systems, eyes and brains.
No exact number of fatalities is known even today however after the initial disaster it is believed that upwards of 8000 people died from the immediate damage to their health. What made the Bhopal disaster so well-known were the lasting effects which were received by the people due to the prolonged exposure to the harmful gases released. Birth defects were present in newly born children and thousands more people were left with problems to their health.
Whilst the Bhopal disaster was a huge incident with lasting damage for the people of Bhopal, certain benefits came from the disaster as health and safety measures were increased around the world. The facilities in Bhopal were found to be insufficient for the type of gases being used, as were the emergency situation measures. The disaster saw a number of facilities reassessed and upgraded to prevent such a disaster from occurring again.
Equip your site with a field shelter in case of emergency.

















